We recently had a chance to talk with Arseniy Kolesnichenko - a recipient of a scholarship from the City of Charles Sturt to access Business SA's SAYES Entrepreneurship Program. The program is for people between the ages of 18-35 to gain advice, develop skills and create a solid foundation for their business.
This 12 month government-funded program helps entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality or where a business already exists - provides support to create a sustainable business model.
We wanted to learn more about Arseniy's business and how he has found the program.
How did you find the program? What motivated you to apply?
At that time, I was struggling with taking my business to another level and didn’t have the right tools in place. I’ve then started looking for ways and resources available to me, and coincidentally attended one of the Business SA events where SAYES program was highlighted and highly referenced by the previous participants. This has encouraged me to apply, as I heard from existing business owners on their success stories following the SAYES program.
How did you decide you wanted to start a business?
I saw my family in business from early childhood and could see the benefits and freedom it can bring. So I was excited to start something of my own in the field that inspired me to achieve and develop.
What was your original business and is it any different to the current idea/focus which you're working on?
I’ve joined the program at the time of being a founder of HMO Unity, a Property Management Agency that rents properties from real estate agencies and landlords and converts them into Houses in Multiple Occupation with further subletting property on a room-by-room basis. During the program, I’ve explored new business models around my existing business and developed planning roadmap on achieving those in the near future.
Can you give us some examples of how the program has helped you?
It was great to be connected with the mentor and like minded entrepreneurs in the group. This has guided, supported and allowed me to find answers to questions that were on my mind for a while. Workshops were a great way to learn the foundations of any business and discuss those with peers. I now have a clear vision and goals for my business.
Is the relationship with the mentor one where they hold you accountable and set tasks or more of a loose one where you can check in and out?
I was fortunate to have mentor that kept me accountable with business plan development and my personal development goals. I was grateful for his advice and support provided, as well as flexibility around meeting times and locations.
How has your business grown during this scholarship?
My business has grown over 50% during this scholarship. But more importantly it opened new opportunities and directions for future growth.
Do you find the environment of City of Charles Sturt to be supportive of the new entrepreneur?
I really appreciate the scholarship support of City of Charles Sturt. It meant a lot to a small business owner like me.
Arie was awarded 2023 South Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the SAYES graduation in October 2023. You can read more about this amazing recognition here.
You can learn more about HMO Unity here: https://hmounity.com/
Applications for the SAYES will reopen in February 2024.